Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, out since June 28 with a torn ligament in his right thumb that required surgery, returned to action Saturday night by playing the first five innings of Clearwater's 9-1 win over Tampa at Brighthouse Stadium. Utley went 1-for-3 with a triple and handled two ground balls in the field without incident. Utley, who was not expected back in the Phillies lineup until late August or early September, is scheduled to play seven innings for Clearwater on Sunday and there are reports that he could rejoin the Phillies as early as Tuesday if all goes well.

Cameron Rupp caught Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez in spring training. "His command was a little iffy - he had trouble throwing strikes - and the velocity wasn't there," the IronPigs catcher said of Gonzalez, a Cuban defector who received a $12-million, four-year major league contract from the Phillies last August after defecting from Cuba earlier in 2013. "He was a bit more raw than what I had anticipated - not as polished, maybe I should say, you might expect of an older kid," IronPigs manager Dave Brundage said.

PHILADELPHIA — It seems like a new beginning is within reach for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said Howard would go to Clearwater for extended spring training tomorrow and could start hitting in a few days, something he hasn't done in more than two months. "I don't think it's completely healed, but it's healed enough that at this stage they don't feel like it's going to be compromised anymore, and they can dress the wound in a way that will help that," Amaro said.

When Creedence Clearwater Revisited played at Sands Bethlehem Event Center in January 2013, it recreated the Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog pretty much note for note: 19 songs with 11 Top 10 hits and 12 gold or platinum songs among them. When former CCR vocalist/guitarist/songwriter John Fogerty stopped at the event center Friday, he played many of the same songs. But the difference is that, in Fogerty's hands, the songs occasionally changed, often embellished, and played with an unbridled intensity that made precision a moot point.

As expected, the IronPigs, in the thick of a push for an International League playoff spot, lost their hottest pitcher to the Phillies Monday. Tyler Cloyd was called up and will start Tuesday's game against Colorado, the Phillies announced Monday afternoon. Cloyd replaces John Lannan, who went on the disabled list last week with a knee injury. Replacing Cloyd, who was scheduled to start for the IronPigs Monday night against Scranton, in the IronPigs rotation will be 24-year-old right hander Perci Garner, the Phillies second-round pick in 2010.

PHILADELPHIA — When Kyle Kendrick talks about how much he's improved, Roy Halladay's name is always mentioned. With some of the challenges Cole Hamels has faced this year, he leaned on Halladay for support during several phone calls. "Unfortunately he's not there next to me to talk with," Hamels said. "He's obviously a future Hall of Famer in my book. Any time you have those types of guys around, it's a good feeling. He's got a ton of knowledge. He's very positive. So I think having that sort of person around just helps because he does bring a presence.

The home clubhouse floor was littered with bags packed for the upcoming weekend trip to Rochester and his teammates were sitting at tables chowing down steak, crab cakes and the rest of the spread from Shula's Steakhouse - a parting gift from Ryan Howard after his rehab stint with the IronPigs this week - as Jeremy Barnes walked out of the shower toward his locker. Barnes' bags were packed too - but not for the bus ride to upstate New York. The 25-year-old infielder was heading the other way, back to Clearwater to rejoin the Threshers after an unexpected four-day stint in Triple-A.

Among the survivors of Mrs. Anna Dickinson, 91, of 2232 Lawton Drive, Clearwater, Fla., formerly of Black River Road, Bethlehem R.7, who died Monday in Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, is a son Alton of Bethlehem R.7. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church, Clearwater.

Leonard R. Burns, 87, of Clearwater, Fla., formerly of Hellertown, died Nov. 5 in his home. He was the husband of Rose Burns. He was a meat cutter for Acme Markets and A&P Stores. Born in Bethlehem, he was an Army veteran of World War II. Survivor: Wife. Services: memorial, 11 a.m. Friday, First United Methodist Church, Clearwater. Arrangements, Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Clearwater. .

Reliever Mike Adams, who has been dealing with right shoulder inflammation, said after game one of the Phillies' doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves Saturday that he has still not been cleared to throw. Adams said that he would be reassessed again either later Saturday or on Monday. If all goes well, he could begin to throw. When that time comes, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Adams will likely be sent to Clearwater to get his work in. Despite not throwing yet, Adams said everything is progressing.

Cody Asche was in Florida when the Phillies visited the Marlins in late May. A short time later, when the Phillies were hosting the Dodgers, Rockies and Mets at Citizens Bank Park, Asche was back in Florida. It was the wrong part of Florida at the wrong time of year. He was in the place where all Phillies go to mire in frustration, boredom and impatience. "That's not a fun place to be this time of year," Asche said of Clearwater, site of the Phillies spring training complex and home to the Class A Threshers and those involved in extended spring training.

A few days ago, Tyler Knigge was at Erie's Jerry Uht Park prepping for the third game of a Double-A series against the host Seawolves when he got called into Reading manager Dusty Wathan's office. "I had no idea," Knigge said. "I was like, 'I think I've been pretty good lately so I don't think I'm in too much trouble.'" Wathan and pitching coach Dave Lundquist had their game faces on. Hitting coach Rob Ducey blew it. "He had a big, 'ole grin on his face in the back," Knigge said.

Jonathan Pettibone expected nothing but a fair chance at returning to the Philadelphia Phillies. He's getting that Saturday when he starts for the Phillies against the visiting Miami Marlins. Pettibone was told Wednesday night that he'd be the spot fifth starter in the absence of Cole Hamels, who is expected to return later this month from his rehab stint in Clearwater. "I don't think anything was promised," Pettibone said. "I showed I was healthy, proved I was ready to compete at the highest level.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer John Fogerty and Ian Anderson, the frontman of Jethro Tull, will play Sands Bethlehem Event Center, officials announced Monday. Fogerty sold more than 25 million albums and had an astonishing dozen Top 10 hits in three years as singer and guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival. He then had his own success with solo hits such as "The Old Man Down the Road. " He'll play the event center with a band (not Creedence Clearwater) on July 18. Anderson has led British progressive rock band Jethro Tull for 47 years, and is its original member.

The Jimmy Rollins saga in Clearwater continues. ESPN is reporting that sources within the Phillies organization believe that if Rollins doesn't set the clubhouse tone for the younger players that manager Ryne Sandberg wants, the former MVP and all-star shortstop should be convinced to waive his no-trade clause so the team can move on from him. In an interview Sunday night after his three-day "benching" in Florida, Rollins repeated his intentions...

John H. Jakobsen, 49, of Clearwater, Fla., formerly of Belvidere, N.J., died Monday in Belvidere. He was the husband of Linda Jakobsen. Born in East Orange, N.J., he was owner-operator of Jakobsen Tool Co., Clearwater. Among his survivors are his wife; sons, Eric J. in Maine and John F. of Clearwater; daughter, Melissa Walge of Belvidere, and two grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. today, Moss-Feaster Funeral Home, Largo, Fla.

Timothy J. Farrel, 49, of Clearwater, Fla., formerly of Center Valley, died June 1 in Hospice House Woodside, Pinellas Park, Fla. He was the husband of Diane Farrel. A graduate of Bloomsburg University with a degree in accounting, he worked for J. Walters Inc., Tampa, Fla. Born in Allentown, he was a son of Nannette (Selig) Farrel of Allentown and the late Claude J. Farrel Jr. He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Clearwater. Survivors: Wife; mother; brother, Peter of Allentown.

The three closest camps to the Philadelphia Phillies' spring home in Clearwater, Fla., are those of the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, the New York Yankees in Tampa and the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. So there was a good chance that A.J. Burnett would be making his Phillies debut against a former team. The 37-year-old Burnett will be doing just that on Sunday when he is on tap to take the mound at Bright House Field in Clearwater against the Pirates, his most recent former team.

Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez misses where he has been and knows where he wants to go, but at the moment he is in the slow process of trying to get there. The 27-year-old pitcher's exact location Thursday morning was the Phillies' Carpenter Complex training facility, a baseball lover's paradise that is less than 350 miles from his native Cuba. Political strife between Cuba and the United States, however, makes it impossible for Gonzalez to still feel close to home. "It has been tough," Gonzalez said through a translator during his first interview since he defected from Cuba earlier this year and signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Phillies.